


Pride

by IsobelSionisFalcone



Series: Daughter of Steel [7]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: M/M, Multi, Other, Radaway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 18:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12563152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsobelSionisFalcone/pseuds/IsobelSionisFalcone
Summary: Danse tries to explain what happened to an angry Arthur. Hailey talks to Cade in the medical bay whilst he administers the Radaway.





	Pride

Father and daughter returned the Prydwen at last in the late evening haze, the orange glow throwing striking shadows across their faces. Danse was relieved to see, now that she had enough light to do so, that Hailey was unharmed. He'd been worried that a feral might have caught hold of her, but it appeared not. Arthur would be pleased about that, he hoped.

"Barely a scratch on you," Cade said as they sat in the medical bay. "You're lucky; dealing with ghouls is no cakewalk. Now, just as a precaution, I'm going to hook you up to a dose of Radaway..." Hailey's face fell just then at the thought of sitting in the bay for another ten minutes. She wanted to tell Captain Kells she'd completed her assignment. "Radiation can have a far more devastating effect on young people. Your body is still developing-

"Okay, I'll behave," she said quickly. The teenager was less than eager to delve any deeper into that conversation.

"Make sure you do," Danse said. "I'm going to try to soften the impact before your father finds out you had to use that rifle. You listen to the Captain, alright?"

Hailey groaned and rolled her eyes. "Dad, I'm fifteen, not five," she said. "I can follow orders."

"No one likes a smart-ass, sweetheart," he replied and Hailey scowled whilst Cade couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Stay here until you're given the all-clear. I'll be with your father when you're finished."

The teenager grumbled as Danse left in search of Arthur. He was, as expected, anxiously pacing his quarters, rubbing his chin as he breathed heavily in worry. The Paladin chose his words very carefully, indeed.

"Don't worry, Arthur," Danse soothed when the Elder's sharp blue gaze met his. "Hailey's fine. Cade's just giving her a once over, that's all."

"She shouldn't need a once over..." he began, but Danse placed his hands firmly on Arthur's shoulders.

"She's fine," he repeated slowly. "I've just been with her. Cade said there's nothing wrong at all."

"What are you not telling me?" Arthur questions. "There must be a reason you thought it necessary to take her to the medical bay in the first place."

Again, Danse knew he had to be tactful in his response. "Hailey found the missing supplies an wrapped everything up nicely. She followed one of the Initiates and persuaded him to turn himself in."

The Elder sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Danse, I love you, and Hailey, too," he began, "but I'd appreciate the truth - all of it, if you'd be so kind."

"I want you to promise that you're going to listen to me before you overreact," the Paladin bargained. "Hailey did a fantastic job and she's deserving of praise for her quick thinking, not a reprimand."

Arthur frowned. "Fine," he said. "It doesn't sound like I'm going to be happy with this, but fine. Go ahead."

Danse took a deep breath, thinking about the best way to put the story to his lover.

 

"Remind me how looking into missing supplies turned into a feral ghoul purge," Cade said as he inserted the needle into Hailey's arm. She wrinkled her nose at the light sting and said;

"I had my suspicions that Clarke had been stealing supplies," she explained as Cade carefully removed the needle, leaving the tubing behind to begin administering the Radaway. "I followed him to see where he dissappears to every day and he was going down into the airport ruins, where there were a load of ferals."

The Knight-Captain gave a thoughtful hum. "To think one of our own would steal from the depot... It's concerning to say the least, but I suppose I should congratulate you on catching our culprit. How are you feeling?"

"Uh... Normal, I guess," Hailey replied.

"'Normal' being a relative term," Cade teased.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy I fulfilled my promise and it gave me a taste of combat," Hailey said, "but I'm kinda tired. And cold."

"I expect it was a little more strenuous than training," he chuckled. "As for the cold, Proctor Imgram is looking into a partial failure with the heating system."

Hailey shivered, the bag of Radaway now half-empty. "Let's hope it's fixed soon. I'm going to have to borrow Dad's coat, again..."

 

"Are you saying that not only did Hailey enter the collapsed terminal..." Arthur said, exasperated. "But that she fought ferals, too?"

"She fought well," Danse reasoned. "They never even had a chance to touch her. "She managed to find the truth when even our best and brightest couldn't. I was with her the entire time. We've been underestimating her, Arthur. She's a pretty decent shot and she's clearly been paying attention during training. She was perfectly safe down there."

Slowly, the Elder intook breath, then exhaled, remembering what Danse had said about overreacting. "And that's the truth?"

"I wouldn't lie to you, Arthur."

Danse's gaze was steady, honest and downright hot. Maxson only allowed himself to be distracted for a moment before he relented. "Alright. I'll praise, not reprimand."

"Good," Danse smiled, dipping his head to plant a gentle kiss on Arthur's lips. "She deserves it, for her bravery and initiative if for nothing else..."

Just then, the door to Arthur's quarters creaked open and Hailey slipped inside. It was obvious that she expected to be told off, her eyes anywhere but on her father as she squirmed.

"I uh..." she began nervously. "I solved the mystery."

There was a pause as Danse shot Arthur a look. He needn't have been worried, however; the Elder exhaled lightly and met her eyes with his unusually soft cobalt blue.

"It appears that I may have misjudged you, Hailey," he said stiffly. "Your father tells me you did well - and that you're mission was a success."

"Yeah, I persuaded Initiate Clarke to turn himself in," she replied. "I get that I shouldn't have gone into the collapsed terminal, so... I'm sorry."

"Be that as it may..." Arthur began. "According to your father, you showed initiative and natural talent. So, good work. And congratulations on completing your first formal assignment."

Hailey looked surprised, but caught Danse's subtle wink - obviously, he'd exaggerated. She was still going to be terrified of Glowing Ones for the foreseeable future, but the satisfied and proud expressions her parents bore made her feel as though she was deserving of their praise, at last.

"Thanks, Dad" she smiled. "So, do I have to call you 'sir', now?"

"Let's not get carried away," Arthur flatly. "Keep up the good work, sweetheart."


End file.
